INTERIOR DESIGN
Large-scale artwork can be useful for wayfinding and orientation, but careful attention must be paid to theme and positioning. This mural was used at Seward Lodge dementia care unit in Hertford. Image courtesy of Clint Randall/Willis Newson
When what you see isn’t what you get
Is the growing trend for interior murals in dementia care settings causing unnecessary stress for residents?
D
esign experts are calling for a rethink of the use of large- scale wall murals, which they warn can be ‘confusing and visually disturbing’ for people with dementia.
Murals of 1950s shopfronts or village and town scenes are
sweeping the care sector, fuelled by the knowledge that people with dementia can often only remember their earlier lives. But, while there is a definite place for these works of
art; careful consideration needs to be given to theme and placement or they could end up exacerbating the stress and anxiety that is often a symptom of living with dementia, experts are warning. Wendy Mitchell, who was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s at the age of 58 and has written books on the subject, explains: “I really hate these murals. They are so
confusing. What’s wrong with a nice painting, or simply a window with a view? Why make us think we’re somewhere else?
WHAT IS REAL? “If you are already feeling disorientated, why would you want to be in a room where you look at the wall and always see a policeman on a bike riding towards you, or a large retro aeroplane parked in your dining area? “I understand and agree that people with dementia can benefit from areas with bright contrasting colours and visual stimulation, but if I had to live with a large busy mural I’m sure there’d be times when I’d want to simply ‘turn it off’.” Her comments are echoed by Sarah Waller, an associate specialist at the University of Worcester’s Association for
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